My Love Will Clothe Your Bones
by quisinart4
Summary: "You have me, and you have this baby. That's three Averys in one hospital. You are not alone." The story of Jackson/April's pregnancy following 10x22. COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** My Love Will Clothe Your Bones

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing.

**Author's Note: **I was so happy the Japril baby was okay in the finale that I started writing a collection of snapshots for the rest of the pregnancy. This story begins after the church scene in 10x22, because it is just one of my favorite Japril scenes for so many reasons. I wanted to continue on that night after they return home together and follow the pregnancy from there.

Much thanks to **KepnerAvery** for letting me use her wonderful Japril baby name, and her encouragement along the way as I finished this monster of a fic! Title from the amazing Josh Record song _Bones_ that played during the Japril scene in 10x13.

There will be a total of four parts so please comment and let me know what you think. Thanks in advance if you do!

* * *

_Hi. _  
_Hey._  
_How did you know I was…_  
_I know who you hang out with._  
_You okay? _  
_Yeah. Yeah, I just needed to sit down for a bit. Should probably get use to these seats though… I can't change who I am, but that doesn't mean I wanna sit at home every Sunday when my family's off at church._  
_You would go to church with me?_  
_You're my wife, of course I will. As long as we can get waffles after. _  
_We can have waffles after._

* * *

"Waffles are my favorite breakfast food too," April reminds him, her eyes fixed on the altar at the front of the chapel.

"I know," Jackson replies, "I remember. We have that in common." He gazes down at April, sees that her eyes are locked on the cross on the wall. He holds back a sigh at the idea of another potentially hurtful argument with his wife and softly says her name to get her attention. "April?"

She looks up at him, smiling as she meets his eyes. "What?"

"Nothing, you just... drifted off."

"I was just saying thanks... because I was praying that we'd make up."

Jackson looks at her, this woman with the heart of gold and the smile of sunshine. He was right about what he'd told his mother - she's the _one_.

"Then I'm glad your prayers were answered."

"Me, too," she replies with another smile. She grabs his hand and squeezes it, looking at him with pleading eyes to ask, "Can we go home now?"

"Yeah. Yeah, we can go home," he answers with relief as joy spreads through his bones.

Maybe prayer does work.

* * *

April smiles as she watches him put his keys on the hook as they enter their apartment. It looks like he's a hook guy after all, doesn't it?

He's apologizing for the mess that's accumulated in the living room over the week she's been away, but she interrupts him to say what's been bothering her all night.

"Jackson, I'm sorry about Webber and everyone. I can't imagine just sitting there and having to be professional while everyone is judging you and being angry at you, and just... it's not your fault, it's just a last name!" she exclaims, her hands flying in frustration as she thinks back to the OR gallery where Jackson had been humiliated.

He shakes his head and shrugs it off. "It's okay. Being an Avery means you get used to it."

"Well... that sucks," she says ineloquently, and he chuckles. "It does! And I'm sorry. I didn't realize how hard it is for you to feel all alone in a hospital full of hundreds of people, even if you technically own the hospital. But... you're not alone, okay?" She takes another step closer, her hands reaching for his shoulders, leaning up on her tiptoes to meet his eyes. "I'm an Avery too... right?" She asks it hesitantly, because they've teased each other about this but she's being absolutely serious right now.

"Right," Jackson confirms, nodding at her. "Which means they'll just hate you too."

"Well, maybe, but it also means you're not alone. You have me. And," she takes a deep breath and reaches for his hand, and for the first time since she's told him the news, she brings his hand to her stomach, feeling the warmth of it through her t-shirt, "you have this baby. That's three Averys in one hospital. You are not alone."

Jackson swallows back a knot of emotion, his hand on her stomach flexing with need and want as he soaks in her words. He's always been alone. In every prep school he went to, in college and in med school, in every ballroom dance class his mom made him go to, and every fundraiser he was forced to attend because he was an Avery and of course he'd pull out his checkbook and donate if they got him there. He was always alone.

Until he met April.

_Me and you._

"April..." He rests his forehead against hers, inhaling deeply as he holds her tight. He just missed her so much and she's finally home. "I love you."

She wraps her arms around his neck, and he flashes back to a hotel room in San Francisco and a men's bathroom stall, but then she kisses him and all he can think of is right here and right now.

* * *

He holds her tight as they make love, but manages to shift his body to fall next to hers on the mattress. Usually he'd stay on top, she loves the feel of their bodies aligned from top to bottom, but he reminds himself that she's pregnant now. She might not be showing yet, but he has to be keep that in mind, he has to take care of her. He smiles in pleasure as she turns on her side immediately to face him, their faces mere inches apart as they breathe heavily, climbing down from the high of being together after nearly a week's separation. It's the longest they've been apart since they got married in Lake Tahoe.

Jackson reaches out to brush away a curl that's sticking to her forehead. The tender gesture is all it takes for April to burst into tears. He jerks away immediately, eyes widening in panic at the tears running down her face.

"April? What's wrong, what happened? Was I too rough?" He pales at the thought, but she quickly reaches out to reassure him, her hands wrapping around his neck as she pulls him close.

"No, no. I loved it."

"Were you not ready to-" He breaks off again as she shakes her head, her entire body shaking with the sobs she's holding in. "What's wrong, babe? Talk to me."

"It's just... just..." She takes a deep, shuddering breath and Jackson rubs her back through it, urging her to continue. "You're my only friend."

"Hey, come on, that's not true," Jackson tells her immediately, shaking his head at the comment. "You have tons of friends. Meredith and Cristina, well, Cristina's a bit of a reach for both of us, I guess," he adds, "but Arizona and Callie, and-"

"No, no." April reaches up to cradle his face between her hands, sighing as she tries to explain. "Callie and Arizona got so tired of me hanging around, and Meredith yelled at me about Cristina not getting the Harper Avery, and, and..." she takes a deep breath before she looks at him with watery eyes and declares, "no one loves me like you do."

Jackson holds her closer, and finally moves aside that strand of hair that had caught his attention. He thinks of how everyone avoids him in the hallways at the hospital, how he's had no one to eat dinner with all week, how the bed felt too big without her despite him having slept alone for years. He kisses her forehead, then her cheeks, then her lips.

"No one loves me like you do either."

* * *

"Our little fetus!" April says again that night after their OB/GYN appointment as she moves to put the sonogram picture on the refrigerator with pride.

"Don't you think it might be hard to keep this a secret if the sonogram is the first thing people see when they walk into our apartment?" Jackson comments from behind her.

Her back is to him but he can imagine her frown of disappointment at his very rational thought disrupting her excitement. He's right though, and she relents, turning around with a nod. "Okay, fine, you're right. Follow me." She leads the way into their bedroom and tucks the picture into the frame of the mirror on the wall. "There. No one will be coming in this room."

"They better not," Jackson mumbles against the skin of her neck as he drops a kiss there. They stand in front of the mirror, arms around each other as they gaze at the new sonogram picture. The mirror reflects a couple in love, a family in the making. "It's perfect."

* * *

Two days later, April watches Jackson from where they're cuddled on the couch together after a twelve hour shift at the hospital. It's nice being an attending and being able to schedule her shifts to match Jackson's so they can have the same day or night off. Of course, he still has to go in for Board events and meetings even if he's off and sometimes she'll go with him instead of staying home. But the nights they have off, they enjoy making dinner together and Jackson can catch a basketball game while she reads, those are the nights she loves most.

"Oh, come on, _dammit!_ That was so close!" Jackson yells at the television, shaking his head to himself as he watches the game. He reaches for the popcorn and sees April watching him. "Sorry. Am I being too loud?"

"No, you're fine," she tells him. But she smiles and says, "I have something to tell you."

"Okay," he says, dragging out the word as he frowns at her sudden seriousness on a carefree Thursday night. "What is it?"

"Well," April takes a deep breath and puts her book on the coffee table, turning to face him completely on the couch, "I don't want us to lie to each other or keep secrets, I want us to be honest with each other about everything. Don't you?"

He nods as he tries to decipher the hidden meaning behind her words. "Of course, babe. What is it? You're scaring me. The baby's mine, right?" He smirks at her when she hits his chest playfully. "Ow! Okay, sorry, sorry, continue."

"Remember when you said you told Stephanie about the baby?" Jackson nods. "Well... I told Callie."

"Ha! I knew it! I thought you were being too calm for some reason." He tugs her into his arms, grinning widely at the satisfaction that he was not alone in spilling the beans about their news too early. "Well, babe, thanks for being so honest, but I'm not letting you out of telling my mom now."

April giggles as his hands slide under her t-shirt, gliding over her stomach. He loves to touch her there where there's just the slightest of a bump that only he knows about. "Jackson, that tickles." She straddles him on the couch, wrapping her arms around his shoulders as she kisses him sweetly. "I had to be honest. I figured you need the support. You're such a chicken when it comes to your mom."

"Thanks for that," he replies sarcastically, his hands sliding around her back and pulling her closer. Their lips meet again as their hips align, and he groans at the contact as she rocks herself on top of him. "And I'm not a chicken. She's just crazy. But can we not talk about my mother when we're having sex?"

"We're not having sex," she informs him. But with the way his hands are cupping her breasts and the way hers are sliding down his sweatpants, she knows it's only a matter of time before they are. "What about your basketball game?" She can vaguely hear the announcers on the TV behind her, something about ten minutes left on the clock and it being a very exciting game you don't want to miss the end of.

"Forget the game," Jackson mumbles against her lips as he pulls her closer.

* * *

"Evan?"

"No. I knew an Evan once, he was a jerk."

"Edgar? Wait, no, that's too Edgar Allen Poe," April says just as quickly. "Let me go to the next page. Marcus?" She crinkles her nose at the name as she waits for Jackson's response. They're in bed and she's reading out potential baby names while he's finishing up some work. Though they don't know the gender of the baby yet, April is determined to have a list of both boys and girls names picked out to choose from. "It sounds too... stuffy."

"I agree. What's next?"

"Ma-" April giggles in amusement, her laughter echoing in the bedroom. She hides her face behind the baby book when Jackson looks at her in puzzlement. "Nothing, it's nothing."

"It's something," Jackson teases as he puts aside his laptop. It's time for bed anyway, and his wife is always more entertaining than any hospital work. "What is it? Tell me."

"No, no, it's nothing." April shakes her head, still laughing even as she tries to compose herself.

"April..." Jackson grabs her close and slides his hands under her tank top, tickling her sides and grinning as she shrieks with laughter. She twists in his hold but he only holds on tighter, enjoying the way she squirms in his arms as she tries to escape.

"Stop, stop! There's a baby in there!" April takes a deep breath to stop the laughter, smiling up at him with a grin still on her face. "Tickle attacks aren't fair."

"Keeping secrets from your husband isn't fair either. What baby name was it?"

April bites her lip, trying to hold back a smile, and says, "Matthew."

Jackson stares at her for a moment in silence, then growls as he goes to kiss her, hands moving to her stomach again to tickle her mercilessly. "Oh, you're gonna pay for that."

* * *

"Here you go, Dr. Avery."

April looks up from her paperwork to find Jackson approach her with a blueberry muffin from the coffee cart outside. She smiles as she accepts the snack, reaching up to peck his cheek. "Thank you, Dr. Avery." The pregnancy cravings have begun, and she's been craving blueberries every day around noon. It makes no sense to her either, but apparently there's nothing logical about cravings.

Jackson wraps an arm around her shoulder then moves it down to her waist. He has no idea he's unconsciously brushed lovingly at her stomach on the way down. He's never been able to keep his hands to himself where his wife is concerned.

"So... pregnant, huh?" Alex comments from next to them, a sparkle in his eye as he watches the panic appear on their faces.

"I- What? Who?" April babbles in her usual fashion.

"Who's pregnant?" Jackson asks coolly, as if he's interested in whatever hospital gossip Alex has to share.

"Oh, come on, you knocked up the Virgin Mary. We all know it wasn't an immaculate conception." Alex grins at his own joke.

"I'm not- we're not- I'm not-" April tries to form an argument, and of course that gives her away more than anything else. Jackson says nothing, merely waiting for Karev to continue.

He does not disappoint.

"Kepner, you've been eating blueberries every day for like a week, and you hate blueberries. You never made blueberry pancakes when you cooked, said you hated the smell. Plus, your boobs look bigger," he adds with a wink as he blatantly stares at her chest for a second.

April gasps in outrage, crossing her arms immediately to hide his view. "Hey, don't look at my boobs!"

"Don't look at her boobs," Jackson tells their friend firmly from her side.

"Yeah, sure, I won't," Alex says in a tone that means he absolutely will. "Congrats. A mix of you two... no wonder Yang left town." But he tosses one of his rare, bright smiles their way before he barks an order at his intern, then turns back to add, "Avery, I hope it's a girl so I can watch you try and scare away any guy that might de-virginize her. I need more laughter in my life."

April tries to hold back a chuckle at the sudden paleness of Jackson's face. "Jackson..."

"If it's a girl, she's not allowed to have sex _ever._ Ever!" His eyes widen in terror, hands flying all over the place as he tries to control the thoughts running through his head.

April only grins and gives him a peck on the cheek before she heads for the elevator.

"I mean it, April!" he calls out after her.

* * *

"Sure, Mom, yes, I know, rule with an iron fist, the mighty don't make friends, it's lonely on the top, all that good stuff," Jackson repeats as he listens to his mother on the phone while browsing on his laptop in bed. He hasn't talked to her all week so he figured he'd call before she flew back to Seattle just to check his temperature and assure herself he's well.

He catches April's eye in the bathroom mirror where she's brushing her teeth, and rolls his eyes in amusement at her as his mom continues to chatter away. Something about a fundraiser for a charity fundraiser coming up in two months, and how his cousin Patrick aced his SATs, and how his grandfather was being picky about his medication again, and...

His thoughts drift off as he watches April pull on her pajamas, then sees her frown as she tugs harder on the hem of her tank top which no longer covers the slightest baby bump that's showing. She stands in front of the full length closet mirror turning this way and that, looking at her reflection from all angles, palming her growing stomach as she observes herself carefully. Jackson takes it all in; the curve of her spine, the way her hair shines like red silk, the line of her neck leading to that spot at her collarbone which he loves to nuzzle when he's buried deep within her.

"Jackson, are you there? Are you listening to me, child?"

"Hmm? Yeah, yeah, I'm here," he answers. He watches as April moves to the dresser, tugging off her tank top and grabbing one of his t-shirts to sleep in. It looks like his pajamas will be her pajamas now.

And he doesn't mind one bit.

Catherine huffs over the phone line. "Well, you sure sound distracted over there. Don't know why you even bothered to call if you weren't going to pay attention to me half the time. Go on then, go be a newlywed." Her tone is very clear that she knows exactly which _newlywed activity_ his mind is on.

Jackson chuckles at her attitude, and can't help but feel a bit smug at how he's going to pull the rug out from under her with his news. He's nervous how she'll react, but it has to be done sooner or later. His eyes meet April's, and she looks at him curiously. He takes a deep breath and says, "Actually, Mom, we're not just newlyweds anymore. We are expectant parents."

There's a moment of silence, then a whoop of delight echoes so loudly in the room that April can hear it too. She grins as she watches Jackson wince and pull the phone away from his ear, then comes to snuggle next to him, the movie they were going to watch completely forgotten. He puts the phone on speaker, relishing the sounds of his mother's happiness as he and April grin at each other like fools.

"Mom, are you done cheering now?"

"Jackson! You're pregnant? I mean, April's pregnant, not you, of course, I'm so happy for you! I cannot believe this. Wow, that was fast. You Avery men sure-"

"Okay, Mom, that's enough of that," he interrupts with a grimace. "April's here too, if you want to say congrats to her since she's doing all the work."

"Uh, h-hi, Dr. Avery," April says, stumbling over the words with nervousness. Jackson reaches out to hold her hand, squeezing it tightly and she takes a deep breath, feeling his strength rejuvenate her own. "Um, surprise?" She laughs shakily, still a bit hesitant on what to expect from her mother-in-law.

"Surprise, indeed!" Catherine exclaims with a laugh. "And none of that 'Dr. Avery' nonsense, dear, I told you to call me Catherine. Oh, sweetheart, a virgin to a momma-to-be, I cannot believe it."

Jackson winces at the comment. "Can everyone stop referring to my wife as a virgin? Please?" He rolls his eyes at April who tries to contain her laughter. She runs a hand through his hair, pulling him closer so she can drop a kiss on his cheek. The mention of their first time always makes her sentimental, always takes her back to that hotel room in San Francisco and how he'd been so gentle with her.

"Oh, shush, Jackson, we were all virgins once. And she's certainly not one anymore. Well, tell me everything, April, honey! How far are you? Did you go to the doctor? Are you taking prenatal vitamins? Did you have an ultrasound done? Can I see the sonogram?"

"I- we- yes, yes!" April says with a laugh, not knowing which question to answer first, but so relieved that they're all questions she can answer right now. They're not questions about the child's choice of religion, or how they'll handle managing a million dollar empire, or how they'll behave during their first board meeting. Questions on vitamins and ultrasounds, excited questions on prenatal care are question she can happily discuss with Catherine.

"Yes, Mom, we have the first ultrasound pictures. I'll send it to you if you ever let me off the phone," Jackson tells her in exasperation.

"I'm done talking to you, Jackson, you go do whatever you need to do and pass the phone to my daughter-in-law," Catherine orders.

"_Finally,_" he exclaims dramatically, making sure Catherine can hear him.

"I heard that, young man. Just so you know, I won't accept that kind of sass from my grandchild. Now, April, who is your OB/GYN? Where did she go to school? Did you do your research, darling, because it is the most important information you need to know..."

Jackson dutifully takes the phone off speaker and hands it to April. He's done his part - he broke the news. The rest of the girl talk is all on April.

* * *

_to be continued ~ _


	2. Chapter 2

**Title:** My Love Will Clothe Your Bones

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing.

**Author's Note: **Thanks so much to everyone who commented on the first chapter! It was really encouraging to get feedback and to know people are interested in reading more.

Again, the baby name comes from the awesomely talented **KepnerAvery**. Check out her fic "Christmas in July" for some Japril fluff on brainstorming baby names and the story behind their decision.

Hope you enjoy this second part! Please leave a comment on your way out. :)

* * *

"What's wrong, are you okay?" Jackson hurries into the on-call room that his wife had texted him to come to immediately. He frantically looks her over as he reaches to touch her. Before he can ask another question, she's flying into his arms, kissing him frantically as her hands slide under his lab coat to push it off his shoulders. "Whoa!" He laughs as he wraps his arms around her, grinning as he figures it out. "Why, Mrs. Avery, did you text me here for a booty call?"

"Did you lock the door?" she whispers as she kisses the skin of his neck. She tugs on his shirt and he removes it immediately.

"Yes," he answers back. "But, really, did you? I thought we weren't gonna be one of those couples who did it everywhere in the hospital anymore." Even as he reminds her of that, he's undoing her bra and pushing her to the bed, kissing down her chest as he makes himself comfortable between her spread legs. He sure as hell isn't going to complain.

"I just... Jackson, you don't understand, it's the hormones," April tells him in between frantic kisses. Her hands are around his neck as she runs her fingers through his short hair, her hips thrusting up and seeking his in a rhythm they've created even with their pants still on. "I am just _so_ horny all the time. I look at you across the room and- I can't even- I just-" She pants loudly as he plays with one of her breasts, afraid she's going to come before he's even inside her. Her body has become so sensitive, and her husband being the attractive man he is doesn't make it easier for her to calm her body that's already in overdrive.

"Okay, okay, I'll take care of you, babe." As if it's anything but a pleasure to make love to his wife in the middle of the workday.

When his hand slides down her underwear, Jackson lets out a groan of arousal. "Jesus, April. You're soaking wet."

For once, she doesn't scold him for saying the Lord's name during intimate times, and only nods frantically, pushing into his fingers as she desperately kisses him and begs for more.

He delivers.

* * *

"So, are you ready?"

Jackson and April grin at each other and nod at their OB/GYN, eager to hear the news they've been waiting for at this doctor's appointment.

"Any thoughts on if it's a boy or a girl?" the doctor asks before she reaches for April's file, an amused smile on her face as she waits for the couple to answer. It's obvious she's done this many times before and takes a certain joy in throwing out the question right before she declares which parent is right.

"It's a boy," Jackson states confidently from April's side. "I know it. He's playing it cool right now and isn't kicking yet, but he's just waiting for his first pair of Air Jordans."

"Jackson!" April laughs at his enthusiasm even as she shakes her head. "It's a girl. I'm telling you, it's a girl. I can _feel_ it."

"Whatever, that's a bunch of bull pregnant women say," he teases her as he brushes aside a strand of hair that's escaped her ponytail. "I'm the one who donated that second chromosome, remember? If anything, I should be the one who has a 'feeling'." He puts air quotes around the last word in good humor.

"Oh, okay, whatever." April merely grins before kissing him once more, turning to the doctor with a bright grin. With her hand in Jackson's, she says, "Okay, we're ready. Go."

"And... baby Avery is a baby girl! Congratulations," the doctor announces with a grin.

"Ha! I knew it! I knew it, I knew it. I told you so!" April reaches for Jackson, but he's reaching for her too, and he's kissing her breathless, lips gliding over hers as his hands cradle her entire face. He finally breaks for air, smiling as he watches April open her eyes.

"You're such a know-it-all," he says, tugging playfully on her ponytail before he kisses her again. His grin is wide and his eyes light with laughter as their mouths meet once more in celebration of their news.

"Hey!" But her scolding is muffled against his lips even as she hits him on the shoulder for the comment. "I guess we can toss out that list of boys' names we made. I told you so," she tells him proudly, forehead resting against his. The doctor had quietly slipped out of the room, leaving the expectant parents alone with the good news. "A baby girl." She frowns suddenly, peering at him carefully as she asks, "You don't mind, do you? I know you wanted a boy."

"April, of course I don't mind, I was just kidding," he reassures her quickly. "I'm happy as long as the baby is happy and healthy. And you know what this means, right?"

"What?"

His eyes darken as he bends forward, his lips brushing against hers so lightly that she whimpers at the teasing touch. He kisses her again, moving his lips to her ear to whisper, "We'll just have to keep trying until we get a boy."

They're five minutes into their make-out session before the doctor knocks on the door asking if she can come back in.

* * *

April smiles as she watches Alex and Jo tell the story of the latest miraculous surgery in Peds. They seem to complete each other's sentences and pick up right where the other left off, their eyes bright with success about a four-year-old boy who is now tumor free. She cuddles further into Jackson's side as they sit in their usual booth at Joe's. He runs his fingers absentmindedly through her hair as his arm rests around her shoulder, his beer forgotten as he listens to Karev's story.

April wrinkles her nose in disgust when she first smells the odor, looking around as she tries to find the source. She glances over her shoulder to find two guys lounging in the booth behind them, and by the sign of the empty jug on their table, they've had more than a couple of drinks. Sure enough, they're both smoking and the smoke is wafting right towards her. Joe has the smoking/non-smoking sections marked with a few peeling, faded signs on the back wall. They may be hard to see for newcomers, but anyone who's a regular knows this is the non-smoking side of the room.

"What is it, babe?" Jackson asks, looking down at her when he sees her twist in her seat.

"Nothing. They're smoking," April tells him. She turns in her seat and clears her throat to get the guys' attention. They're laughing obnoxiously so she raises her voice and says, "Excuse me!" They turn to look at her. "Hi, I'm sorry, can you please put out your cigars? The smoke is drifting right over here."

"Yeah, sure," the man says with a nod and an eyeroll thrown in.

April decides to ignore the eyeroll and politely says, "thanks," turning back to Alex and Jo.

Five minutes later, she coughs because the smoke hasn't stopped and she's feeling kind of nauseous now. She shakes her head and closes her eyes, determined not to get sick in the middle of their night out with friends.

"April, you okay?" Jackson notices her face and then looks back over his shoulder at the two guys who clearly haven't put their cigars out yet. "Hey, can you move to the other side of the room if you're gonna smoke? My wife's pregnant."

"Pregnant, huh? That explains why she's being such a bitch."

The next thing April knows, she's left in the booth with Jo as Alex and Jackson become embroiled in a bar fight. Fists are flying, people are yelling, and there's more than one curse word echoed that she does not want her baby to hear from the womb, or ever. Alex tries to pull Jackson off, but the guy's friend hits him, and suddenly it was two against two while April and Jo unsuccessfully called for their guys to stop.

"Hey! What the hell?" Joe yells as he makes his way toward them, pushing all of them on the street with the help of Owen and Ben who had been having a drink at the bar. "What's going on here?"

"They started it!" Alex says quickly, staunching a bloody lip with his sleeve as Jo fusses over him.

Joe looks at the two guys he doesn't know in the group and says, "I don't know you so don't bother coming back." He turns back to the Grey Sloan hospital group. "The rest of you, get outta here, get some air. You're too old for this shit."

"A bar fight?" Owen shakes his head at them in paternal disappointment. "What are you guys, interns?"

Alex just grins as he meets Jackson's gaze. "God, that was fun. I haven't beat someone up in ages."

"You psycho," Jo says with a fond smile as she tugs on her boyfriend's arm and leads him towards the car. "Bye, April, Jackson! Good night."

"Jackson, are you okay?" April looks him over, cradling his face as she examines a bruise on his cheekbone. "Are you hurt? What about your hands? You have surgeries! What were you thinking?" She slaps him on the chest and watches as he winces.

"Ow, that hurt more than those jackasses combined." Jackson grins when she quickly hurries to apologize, shushing her and throwing an arm around her shoulder as they head for the car. "I'm fine, promise."

"You didn't have to get into a fight, jeez. We could have just left."

"Hey, no one disrespects my wife, got it?" He drops a kiss in her hair as his arm tightens around her. "Let's go home and you can be my doctor for the night, okay?"

"Jackson," April admonishes with a shake of her head. But she's smiling as she leans up to kiss him in thanks.

* * *

"April, are you ready?" Jackson paces outside the bathroom door as he waits for his wife to finish getting ready. They're headed to dinner with some members of a hospital organization that donated a research grant to the hospital. Usually, April's ready before he is and teasing him about his male vanity. Tonight, she's still locked in the bathroom.

"No, I- I'm not feeling well. I think I'm gonna stay home, you go," she calls out.

Jackson frowns at the door and hopes this isn't one of the mood swings his wife has been having now that they're midway through the pregnancy. But she'd seemed so excited just an hour ago before she went into the bathroom to change, saying she and Arizona had even gone maternity dress shopping since none of her clothes fit anymore.

"Babe, what's wrong? Open the door." He jiggles the doorknob, but it's locked so he only knocks harder. "Open the door, April."

"No! Just go alone and tell them your wife is too fat to leave the house right now!"

Knowing instantly what this is about, Jackson only knocks harder. "April, if you don't open this door, I'm going to knock it down. Ten, nine..." There's a moment of silence where he can imagine her weighing the seriousness of his threat. "Three... _two_..." he warns.

"Okay, okay!" The door swings open and April steps out, smoothing down her dress, refusing to meet Jackson's eyes. "I picked out the dress with Arizona a week ago, and of course, I'm even bigger now!"

"April..." Jackson takes her hands in his, stepping back to take in the view of her. The blue dress is tight in all the right places, emphasizing her new curves and the swell of her belly, but the fabric opens to a full skirt to allow her to move comfortably. Her hair is down in waves and he can't resist wrapping his arms around her from behind and inhaling the scent of her shampoo, the familiar smell of wildflowers soothing him in a world that's always changing. "You look beautiful."

"Oh, shut up. You have to say that, you're my husband. You're just scared I'll never sleep with you again," she threatens, but he can see her shoulders relax instantly in his hold, can see her smile as he drops a kiss on the nape of her neck.

"True, that does scare me." He grins when she hits him playfully, but his hold on her tightens. "The dress is totally working for you. But you wanna know what else is working for you? Being pregnant." His hands slide up to cup her breasts, and he smirks as he feels her shiver at his touch. Her body leans into his touch intrinsically, as if her senses recognize the signature of his fingerprints. "You look gorgeous. In fact, how about we take this dress off and I-"

"Jackson!" April steps out of his arms, turning to fix his tie and run a hand down his coat jacket, blushing all the while before she finally meets his eyes. "We're going to be late. And Averys shouldn't be late." She leans up to kiss him, her hands cradling his face as she runs her fingers through his stubble. "But when we get back..."

* * *

April comes home from work to find Jackson shirtless in the living room doing crunches. She slips off her sneakers and settles into the armchair in the corner, admiring the view of her husband as his muscles flex in all the right places.

"I thought we agreed you're not allowed to exercise in front of me when I'm this fat," she reminds him with a playful shake of his head. "It's mean."

"You're not fat, April, you're pregnant," he repeats for the umpteenth time. But he sits up and grabs his water bottle, panting as his heartbeat slows down. "How was your day? Everything go smoothly?"

"Yeah, it was fine," April says with a yawn. "It was a pretty quiet day, which means I feel bad for the night shift people."

Jackson snorts at that, because everyone in the business knows the luck of having a quiet day shift. "Well, that is not us so we're gonna enjoy our night off. What do you wanna eat?"

"I don't know." April sighs. "I'm too tired to decide." She watches her husband peel away the label on his water bottle, a rare nervous gesture that gives away the fact that his mind is on something other than dinner. "You were doing crunches last night too," April remembers.

"Yeah. So?"

"You only do them when you're worried about something. What is it?" April asks gently. She's the clear neurotic overthinker in the relationship and it's easy to forget that Jackson has worries of his own. She never wants him to feel like he can't talk about them.

"It's nothing. Just work stuff," Jackson says a little too quickly.

She knows he's lying, and she slides down from the sofa, taking a seat next to him on the floor. "Come on. What is it?"

He hesitates for a minute, swallowing back his words as he gathers the courage to open up. He's not used to being vulnerable, even in front of April. Avery men have to remain strong and seem formidable; giving the impression of anything less than confident can be damaging to his reputation.

But this is April, and she can see right through him, so he takes a deep breath and begins.

"My dad left us. You know that. I just... I hope I can be a good dad to Clara."

Now that they know they're having a girl, they'd gone through baby names and settled on "Clara". They had been looking through baby names when Jackson mentioned the memory of seeing _The Nutcracker_ play with his mother every Christmas; it had been one of his fondest family traditions, and April picked up on the yearning in his voice. Luckily, she'd loved the name herself, and declared that a name meaning "bright" was perfect for the little girl who would be the bright light in their life.

"Jackson..." April moves to grab his hand, inching closer to him so she can brush a kiss on his bare shoulder. "You have nothing to worry about."

"April..."

"Okay, fine, that's not true. I'm worried too. I don't know how to be a mom either. We're both going to have to learn," she assures him. "We'll figure it out, together. But you being anything like your dad? I know that'll never happen. I know you're a better man that."

Some of the tension in his shoulders eases at her words, something that hadn't been happening no matter the extra hours of exercise he'd been doing all week. But April can make him feel better with her words and her touch. It's a gift she's had even before they were together romantically. Even as friends at Mercy West, she was the one who gave the best pep talks, who encouraged him before every exam. At Reed and Charles' funerals, she was the one who had held his hand.

Still, he can't help but ask her, "Yeah? How do you know that?"

"Well," April smiles at him as she wraps her arms around his bare chest, "have you ever been married before?"

"What?" Jackson nearly squeaks at the question, turning to face her with clear shock on his face. "No! No."

April giggles at his surprise before explaining her line of questioning. "Good to know. See, you've never been married before and you're the perfect husband. Just wait until our baby arrives and you'll be the perfect dad too."

He tries to hide his pride at her words, but can't help but smile when it comes to her praise. He reaches out to tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear. Her messy ponytail is falling apart but she's never looked more beautiful to him. "I'm not perfect."

"Well, you're definitely perfect looking from where I'm sitting," April says with a grin, nipping at the toned skin of his shoulder teasingly with her teeth. She doesn't want him to stress and work himself into an exhaustion, but there's no denying that the crunches keep his already perfect abs in shape.

With one fluid movement, Jackson rises and lifts April into his arms bridal-style.

"Whoa! Jackson, put me down, I'm too heavy!"

"No, you're not." He drops a kiss on her forehead as he heads for the direction of the bedroom. "Are you saying I'm not strong enough to carry my wife? That's insulting."

"Where are we going?" April laughs as she wraps her arms around his neck, enjoying the impromptu ride. Her husband never fails to make her feel sexy and beautiful, even when she's feeling enormously pregnant.

"I'm going to take a shower with my perfect wife," Jackson tells her as he sets her down in the bathroom and begins to unbutton her blouse. "Then we'll decide what to do about dinner."

* * *

_to be continued ~_


	3. Chapter 3

**Title:** My Love Will Clothe Your Bones

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing.

**Author's Note: **Thanks so much to everyone who has taken the time to comment! You're the best of the bunch! Hope you enjoy this chapter - only one more to go after this! Please leave a comment on your way out. :) Have a great start to your week!

* * *

"Dinner was so good, Mom, thanks," Jackson says as he helps himself to another slice of the lemon meringue pie April made for dessert.

"Oh, April helped, sweetie," Catherine tells him from across the table as she watches her son enjoy his third helping of dessert. "Now she knows my recipe for your favorite beef briscuit. It's too bad Richard couldn't be here," she adds. She and Richard had reconciled their relationship, but he had a surgery scheduled and couldn't take the night off.

"Yeah, it's too bad," Jackson repeats, the sarcasm clear in his tone. Despite his mother and Richard being together, off and on, for well over a year now, he still can't get the image out of his head. His mom and Webber. He can't get used to it. "I'd save him some pie, but..."

"Jackson," both women scold at exactly the same time. They look over at each other and share a smile, and Jackson chuckles in amusement.

"Great. Two Avery women ganging up on me tonight. At least there's dessert." He reaches for another piece, helping himself to a forkful as he catches April glaring at him. "What?"

"Nothing. I just don't know how you can eat like that, it's not fair," she pouts. Her hands cover her stomach, the baby bump more clear now that she's into her second trimester. "I don't even wanna think about how I'm gonna lose all this baby weight."

"April-" Jackson begins, but his mother speaks over him.

"Oh, honey, don't you worry about baby weight. All that weight is there to help your baby grow, you're eating for two and taking care of my grandbaby," Catherine reminds her with a motherly smile. "And once you have the baby, you'll be running around like a chicken with its head cut off taking care of her, you'll drop those pounds before you know it."

April laughs at the analogy, smiling warmly at Catherine's advice. "Well, thank you, that's good to know. My mom said-" Suddenly she stops, eyes widening as her hands wrap around her stomach protectively, her body going completely still.

"April, what is it?" Jackson springs up from his seat and is crouched at her side in an instant, pie forgotten. Catherine moves to April's other side, her relaxed manner from earlier transforming into a doctor's clinical observation as she looks her daughter-in-law over from head to toe. "April?"

"I... the baby moved. I think the baby moved." April blinks back tears and grabs Jackson's hand, placing it over her stomach and holding her breath as if breathing may interfere with the baby's movements. She waits patiently for a moment, then two, her eyes focused on Jackson as he watches her stomach anxiously for that sign of life they're waiting for. All the doctor's appointments have been normal, but he knows how stressed April has been that she hasn't felt the baby kick yet. And if he admits it, he's been a little anxious too.

"There!"

Jackson looks up at her, eyes wide, a grin on his face as he clears his throat of emotion. "I... wow, that's our baby in there."

"Duh, you idiot." April laughs even as the tears spill down her cheeks. She throws her arms around him, holding him tight, thanking God for this man she met on her first day of residency, this man who stood up in the middle of her wedding aisle and declared his love for her. "That's our baby girl."

"Well, I wanna get in on this too," Catherine declares.

They break apart to look at her, laughing with joy at the moment and not minding at all that Catherine is there. In fact, she's been so encouraging and supportive throughout the pregnancy so far that they're happy to have her present.

April reaches for Catherine's hand and places it on her stomach, waiting quietly until she thinks she knows where the baby will kick next. Sure enough, the pressure is there and she looks up in time to see Catherine's eyes fill with tears, her face shining with the biggest smile she's worn all night.

"That's my grandbaby! Oh, she's Jackson's child alright. Can you imagine being kicked like that for the rest of the pregnancy? So disrespectful. Just like Jackson used to," she teases. "It's no wonder the boy has such big feet."

"Mom!" Jackson chides, but he grins and rests his hand on April's stomach for the rest of the night.

* * *

The kicking gets old real fast.

Mostly when it's two in the morning and April knows she has to be up at six for work the next morning.

She tosses and turns in bed, trying not to shift too much and jostle Jackson, but it's hard because his arm is wrapped around her, holding her close. The baby feels like she's playing soccer against her bladder. No, no, she's playing _basketball_. Jackson would be appalled at the soccer analogy, she thinks to herself. She slides out from under his arm and heads for the bathroom for the third time that night, then tries to slide back under the covers as silently as she can. The mattress squeaks due to her extra weight, and Jackson turns on his side to blink sleepily at his wife.

"April? Everything okay?" He holds up the covers so she can slide under, then pulls her close to his side. They lay facing each other, and his hand runs down her side, resting at her belly before he drops a kiss there over the fabric of her shirt.

"Yeah, I just had to pee for the millionth time," she grumbles.

Jackson grins at her tone and drops a kiss on her mouth. "I'm sorry."

"No, you're not. You're just secretly thankful you're a guy and you don't have to deal with any of the morning sickness or weird cravings or having to pee a million times every night!"

"You're right, I am thankful." He grins again as she slaps him playfully on the stomach, pretending to wince at her strength before he kisses her again. His lips glide over hers as his hands wrap around her, moving aside her hair as his warm hands massage the back of her neck. She moans as his hands work to ease the muscles she didn't even realize were aching. But at nearly seven months pregnant, _everything_ aches.

"You like that? You want a massage?"

"Yes, please," she says with an eager nod. She lies still as he climbs over her so he's spooned behind her in bed. He continues to massage the nape of her neck and her shoulders, his hands digging deep into her muscles, knowing where to touch and where to linger, where to be gentle and where to be firm. It feels heavenly.

_He_ feels heavenly pressed up against her, his bare torso radiating heat even through her nightshirt. His arms are muscular and she feels so safe wrapped up in them, away from any danger that may lurk outside their bedroom door. She can't help but rub her legs against his where their feet are tangled under the blanket. She knows he loves that. She leans further back, wantonly pressing herself into him, smirking to herself as she feels his erection immediately.

"April." Jackson's voice is low and husky as he speaks directly into her ear. The feel of his breath hot against her skin makes her shiver with arousal. His hands move from her shoulders to the hem of her shirt, one hand teasing the waistband of her pajama pants as he holds her firmly pressed against him. "What are you doing?"

"Reminding you of one pregnancy symptom you can experience with me, that's all," April says innocently. She looks over her shoulder and catches his gaze; his eyes have already darkened with lust as he watches her. She arches her back and twists her head to reach his lips, dropping a soft kiss there as she wraps her arm around his neck. "Please, Jackson. _Please_."

"Babe, you don't have to beg, trust me." He pulls down her pants and her underwear in one go, then his own, and a second later he's sliding into her, groaning at how wet she already is. He's always been fascinated by April's sex drive that matched his own healthy one despite her having been a virgin. Pregnant April? It's a hundred times hotter.

Ten minutes later, she snuggles up to him, both of them naked and sweaty, pajamas thrown haphazardly off as their bodies settle from the rush of their heady coupling.

"Hey, April?"

"Mhmm?"

"Next time you need to pee, wake me up no matter what," he teases, dropping another kiss along the nape of her neck.

April laughs softly, wrapping her arms around him tighter as she falls asleep.

* * *

_It's not supposed to happen this way. It's not supposed to happen this way._

That's all April can think as she bows her head in prayer, aching to find some relief in a God she believes in. A God that is kind and just and loving... but to rip a mother away from her child... there seems to be no kindness in that.

She turns when she feels Jackson enter the chapel, and sure enough, there he is in the aisle, looking down at her so openly as he had months ago when they'd declared Sunday as official waffles-after-church day. She slides down the pew bench and he joins her, his arm going around her as he pulls her to his side.

"Shh, April. Don't cry."

It seemed like a routine case. A minor car accident brought a couple into the ER. The mother happened to be pregnant and April looked her over especially carefully. They'd chatted about baby names and formula choices, and Jackson had carefully stitched up Megan's forehead while her husband Michael hovered nearby. Then suddenly, she'd clutched her stomach and bent over in pain. A pool of blood soaked through her hospital sheets. They'd rushed her into the ER, but... something went wrong. Megan lost too much blood, they couldn't revive her, and the baby boy was taken up to NICU where his father was told the horrible news. Michael became a father the same day he became a widower; a simple fender bender on the freeway had turned the day into one he'd never forget.

It doesn't make sense. Things like this shouldn't just happen in a hospital. They're supposed to make sure such cases don't happen, that they have the solutions and the tools to save a life before the time of death is announced. It strikes a chord of fear within her, one that she'd been trying to ignore in between the prenatal vitamins she's been taking and the yoga she's been doing, in between the baby name they've chosen and her sisters visiting last week to throw her a baby shower. But now, the fear of the unknown, of leaving her baby and leaving Jackson cannot be ignored, cannot be unseen.

Sometimes there's nothing to do but watch life leave one body even as life is sustained in another.

"It just, it doesn't make sense," April cries. She feels his other hand go to her stomach, rubbing softly there as if to soothe their baby girl that everything is okay even if Mommy is sobbing her heart out on Daddy's shoulder. "Why would God do something like this?"

"I don't know, sweetheart. I don't know."

He has no answers for her even if he can provide the medical explanation for what went wrong. Sometimes bad things happen to good people, and sometimes a whole operating room of doctors can't do anything to save the day. But those aren't the answers she needs right now.

So all he does is hold her tight and let her cry. Then he takes her home and tucks her into bed, wrapping his arms around her and their unborn child, silently hoping that the universe will take care of them when it's her turn.

* * *

"Jackson, it's too much."

"Jackson, this is way too expensive!"

"Jackson! No."

That's all April feels like she's been saying this entire shopping trip, but Jackson ignores her and keeps purchasing everything she's touched in the baby store. A diaper bag, onesies, bibs, towels, bottles, toys... she watches as their purchases are rung up at every store they go to and the total just seems to be getting bigger and bigger. That's not counting the crib and the furniture set they've already ordered online to be delivered to the apartment.

"Our first child is going to bankrupt you," she tells him in horror.

Jackson just laughs at her. "April..."

"No, I mean it. You're not going to be a millionaire anymore so I hope you get used to leftovers and making your own coffee because you are going to have to live on a budget. That means no more Starbucks for you." April shakes her head as she wanders around a display of rocking chairs, each one bigger and more elaborate than the one before it. She didn't realize rich people stores were so fancy. Well, because she never had a reason to go shopping in these stores because she certainly wasn't rich.

Then she married Jackson Avery and apparently, all of a sudden, she is.

It's still taking some getting used to.

April sees Jackson run his hand over a rocking chair, setting it into motion with a fond smile on his face.

"What? Do you want that?" she asks.

He shakes his head as he moves to her side, grabbing her hand and pulling her towards the eating area in the corner of the store. Yes, a store so fancy they have their own separate restaurant inside for customers.

"No, it just looks like a rocking chair my mom has in her room back in Boston. Weird. Now come on, let's see what's on the menu."

"Finally," April grumbles as she settles into the chair he pulls out for her in the dining area. "We're done for today. No more spending money. I'll pay for lunch."

"Ah, the perfect woman," Jackson jokes, dropping a kiss on her forehead as he waves the waiter over. But he doesn't let her pay; he never does.

Two days later, Jackson answers the door when the delivery man asks to be buzzed in. Thinking April had ordered something else online, he's surprised to find a completely set up rocking chair identical to the one he'd seen in the store brought into his living room. He signs for the delivery and calls out for April who's in the kitchen.

"Babe? Did you order this rocking chair? I thought you'd already bought one for the nursery."

She turns from the stove to smile. "I had. I returned it. I wanted to get this one."

"I-" He stares at her in silence, overcome by the gesture more than he'd like to admit. As much as he may complain about his mother's overbearing nature, the truth is, before April, Catherine had been the most important person in Jackson's life. Being the child of a single mother is never easy, and it only made Jackson appreciate and admire his mother even more. It's a little thing, but to see that rocking chair in the nursery and think back to his own childhood home and his mom... it's something priceless that all the Harper Avery money can't buy.

He comes up behind her, wrapping his arms around her, being sure to envelope her stomach which is home to their baby girl for another month. "Thank you." He drops a kiss in her hair, inhaling the scent of her that he can't get enough of after all this time. "That was really nice of you."

"I'm a really nice person," she teases back, turning her head to meet his lips and giving him a soft kiss of her own. She knows how important Catherine is to him, and with her having no family nearby, her mother-in-law has become very important to her too. "You spoil me rotten. The least I can do is get you this." She turns off the stove and strokes his head, sighing in delight as he playfully nuzzles the curve of her neck. "Dinner's ready."

* * *

_to be continued ~ _


	4. Chapter 4

**Title:** My Love Will Clothe Your Bones

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing.

**Author's Note:** Here is the last part! Thanks so much to everyone who has commented - you've been very encouraging as I try on this couple for the first time so I appreciate the feedback. Hope to hear your thoughts on this chapter. Enjoy, and happy Friday!

* * *

"Good work, Dr. Edwards," April responds as she approaches Stephanie after their patient has been discharged. Their relationship has been stilted since the wedding debacle, but Stephanie is an eager student and April has been determined to remain the best teacher she can, vowing to remain professional. "You did a great job making sure the x-rays were done quickly and efficiently. That'll definitely give the patient some peace of mind tonight."

"Thanks, Dr. Kepner." Stephanie nods at the praise as she continues her paperwork, only looking up when she hears her attending release a strangled groan. "Are you okay?" In fact, April has been sluggish today and not her usual bouncy self. "Is it- you know, the baby?" She gestures toward April's obvious baby bump. The woman is nearly eight months along and refusing to rest.

"I... no, no, she's kicking, I just... I think I need to sit down." April looks around frantically, reaching out in fear when she feels the ground spin beneath her when her vision goes blurry. Thankfully, she grabs on to the nurse's desk and Stephanie quickly comes around to her side. "I don't feel good."

"Okay, sit down, and I'll go find Jackson," Stephanie says quickly, urging April to take a seat on an empty hospital bed. All signs of aloofness are gone as she worries over the other woman's health. "Can I get you anything?"

"No." April shakes her head wearily, burrowing into the pillows as she tries to keep her eyes open, taking deep breaths to get past the dizziness. "I just need to sit, I think, that's all. I'll be fine. I just need a minute."

Five minutes later, she opens her eyes at the soft sensation of someone running their fingers through her hair. It's Jackson, of course, and tears fill her eyes immediately when she sees him.

"Hey, hey, babe, it's okay, don't cry. I'm here. Are you okay?" His voice is soft and urgent, like he's trying not to spook her or the child, as if he doesn't want to worry her despite his own worry.

"I just, I didn't feel well for a minute." She wraps her arms around his neck, holding him tight as she hugs him, so thankful to have him close. She catches sight of Stephanie hovering near the curtain in the ER. The other woman startles at being caught, then inches backward towards the hallway.

"I'll leave you guys alone. I just wanted to make sure you were okay, Dr. Kepner."

"Thanks, Stephanie," April tells her with a warm smile of gratitude.

"You are running yourself ragged, April," Jackson tells her firmly when she breaks the hug to look at him. "You're eight months along, you're supposed to be taking it easy, not running back and forth in the ER all day."

"I know, I just... I can do it! I told Dr. Hunt that I'd work until the end, and I meant it. Kepners drop babies in fields!" She sighs when she sees Jackson's puzzlement at the expression, and keeps talking before he questions her further about it. "I just... I don't want to stop working, Jackson. I stop working and then I go on my maternity leave, and I might lose what I'm good at. I don't want to be that doctor who used to be good at her job before she had a baby." She can't help but reveal her fear to Jackson now that he's seen how hard she's been pushing herself. It's the reason she's been so anxious to keep moving all throughout her pregnancy, never accepting any allowances at work or moving from the ER.

"April, that's not gonna happen," Jackson reassures her, hands on her face as he looks into her eyes. "You're a _great_ doctor, everyone knows that, Hunt included. You're just... you know, having a baby! You can do skills labs for the last month before your due date. I know you love teaching interns new things and your sessions get some of the best reviews. Last thing you want is to run yourself ragged and be put on complete bed rest, isn't that right?"

She nods because she knows that he's telling the truth. Being at home away from the hospital and the environment in general would be even worse. Giving up the ER for a month and being off her feet in the classroom would give her some rest during the end of her pregnancy while still being involved in a teaching capacity.

"I mean, look at Bailey and Meredith, they came back from having their babies better than ever, and you will too. I know it. Just... don't scare me like that again okay?" Jackson runs his hands over her face and drops a fierce kiss on her lips. "I ran up four flights of stairs when Stephanie called me."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize, just promise me you'll take care of yourself more. Promise?" He looks into her eyes and waits for her to repeat the word.

"Promise."

* * *

"Baby Clara is kicking up a storm," April mumbles as she tosses and turns in bed again.

Jackson's awake too, and shifts onto his side so he's facing her. His hands rub at her stomach, following the path their little girl is kicking along. He can't help but grin at her energy even though it's nearly midnight. Baby girl Clara is going to be a handful, and he wouldn't want it any other way.

"Jackson? Can I talk to you about something?" April looks up at him, the darkness of their bedroom giving her strength to start a conversation she's been wanting to have with him now that her due date is looming closer.

"Of course. Anything." He drops a soft kiss on her lips, continuing to rub at her stomach until he feels the baby settle down.

She pauses before speaking because this is the most difficult conversation she's ever had, and she knows exactly how Jackson will react - not well. But she takes a deep breath and forges on.

"If anything happens to me, I want you to-"

"Happens to you where?" he interrupts sharply, peering at her in the dark. Not able to see her face, he reaches to turn on the lamp, flooding the room with a low light so he can better see her expression. "What are you talking about?"

"I mean..." She takes a deep breath and continues. "I mean, with the baby. In labor. If anything happens to me-"

"No. _No_." Jackson is out of bed before she can reach for him, angrily shoving aside the covers as he puts distance between them as if to physically get away from the conversation she's initiated. "We are not talking about this, April."

She flinches at his raised voice because it's a tone he never takes with her; it only reveals how upset he is about the topic she's trying to bring up. But she tries once more.

"Jackson, I know it's hard, but we work at a hospital. We see death every day." Her voice begins to tremble even as she tries to remain firm. She sits up with difficulty, using the pillow to brace her back against the headboard and holding the covers close to her chest as she watches him. It's a sign of how angry he is that he doesn't help her sit up like he has been during this last month of her pregnancy. Right now, he refuses to offer a helping hand. "I don't know what God has planned for me. Anything can go wrong."

"We see _life_ every day too, April!" he yells. "I am not having some depressing deathbed conversation with you when you're a perfectly healthy woman giving birth to a healthy child. People have babies all the time!"

"Jackson-"

"I said _no_, April!" He turns his back on her and heads into the bathroom, slamming the door behind him despite it being so late at night.

April can hear him pacing on the other side of the door, can hear him moving things around on the counter, most likely resisting the urge to throw the items or punch the wall. But she had to say the words. With her faith in God, and her faith in medicine too, she knows that life is so very precious, and it can all be taken away in an instant. Yes, women go to the hospital and have healthy babies and leave perfectly fine, but people also go to the hospital and only leave through the morgue. She had to say the words out loud, she wanted Jackson to know the things that are most important - that she wants him to be happy, that she doesn't want him to blame himself, that she loves him _so_ much.

But he's locked in the bathroom and there's nothing she can do but turn off the light and slide back into bed, missing the warm space where her husband sleeps next to her.

She's just beginning to drift off when she feels the bed shift and Jackson climb back in. He wraps his arms around her, holding her so tight that she can barely breathe for a second, but she doesn't complain and only holds him close too. He drops a kiss in her hair, breathing her in deeply.

"I love you, April. Everything is going to be just fine. You'll see."

She smiles in her sleep, thinking maybe he knows the most important thing of all she wanted to tell him. He knows she loves him and that's all that matters.

"I love you too."

* * *

"Please tell me you're not eating the same spaghetti you had last week." Meredith grimaces as she looks at April's lunch.

"No," April laughs. "Jackson's gotten better about eating leftovers."

"Because you sex him into following your orders?" Alex teases from next to her.

"No!" Even when she looks like she's about to pop in her pregnancy, April still blushes at someone talking about her sex life. Karev and Meredith take the opportunity to laugh at her when she begins to flush and stammer. "I don't sex him into it- we just eat it the next night - just never mind. Let me eat, my stomach has been hurting all day. How'd your surgery go, Mer?"

Ten minutes later, she gasps when she feels a wetness down her pants, squeaking in discomfort as Meredith and Alex turn to look at her. She turns red in embarrassment, stumbling over her words to apologize.

"April? Did your water just break?" Meredith asks slowly, moving from her seat on the couch in the attending's lounge to April's side.

"What? No! I don't- I mean, I don't think-" She whimpers in pain, reaching out to grab the first hand near her - Alex's. "Maybe?"

"Kepner, have you been having contractions?" Karev asks furiously, all traces of his earlier humor gone.

"I-I-I don't think so? I mean, I don't know! I don't exactly know what they feel like, I've never been pregnant before!" she yells when they stare at her in disbelief. "I thought my stomach was just hurting. Oh god, I'm having the baby _now?_"

"Okay, it's okay, everything's fine," Meredith begins in a calm voice.

"I can't have the baby yet! She's a week early, I'm not ready!" The hysteria is clear in April's voice as she turns to Alex in fear that something's wrong. "What if something's wrong?"

"Hey, nothing's wrong," Alex tells her soothingly. Jackson had mentioned to him a few times how morbid April had become about childbirth, so he imagines those fears are coming out now, especially since the baby is early. "A week is nothing in pregnancy time, you know that. I'm sure everything is fine. She probably just got tired of the food in there."

April smiles faintly at the joke, nodding and trying to reassure herself. "Jackson! Where's Jackson?"

"I'll get him," Meredith offers since she's closest to the door. "Alex, you get her to the third floor," she orders as she brings a wheelchair from the hall and dashes off, phone in hand, to find Jackson.

"Alex, oh god, it hurts. I don't think I can do this. I need Jackson!" April tries not to cry, tries so very hard to remain calm, but the pain is increasing in waves, and she's pretty sure she's going to start sobbing any second now and embarrass herself even further in front of Karev. Jackson's not here, she needs Jackson. She can't do this alone. She can't do this without him.

"Mer just went to get him. He'll be here." Alex slowly helps her into the wheelchair, being careful not to jostle her. "You just focus on breathing, okay? I'm gonna get you up to your OB, and Jackson will meet us there."

Ten minutes later, she's nearly crushing Alex's hand as she breathes deeply through another contraction. "Sorry, Alex. That just.. this really hurts!"

"Yeah, so I hear," he says sarcastically, stretching his fingers with a wince. But he doesn't leave her side, even as he dials Jackson again on his phone. "It's fine. You're doing great. Avery will be here any minute now."

"Where is he?" she growls as another contraction hits her, and she grabs for Alex's hand again. "Oh, god, I don't think I can do this."

"Sure, you can, Kepner, you kick ass, I mean, even the Virgin Mary had to go through childbirth, right?" Karev tries to joke, but sobers quickly when April glares at him. "Right, sorry. Just a little biblical humor to-"

"April!" Jackson rushes through the doorway, Meredith right behind him. "I'm here. Thanks, Karev."

"Jackson! Where were you?" She lets go of Alex's hand, immediately grabbing Jackson's as he takes a seat in the chair the other man just vacated. "We couldn't find you."

"Sorry. I went down the block to grab another coffee-"

"Your damn fancy lattes! You are never allowed to have coffee again!" She groans in agony through another contraction, squeezing Jackson's hand and waiting for the pain to pass. "No more coffee."

"Yup, got it," he says easily, knowing now is not the time to argue with his wife. He leans down to kiss her quickly, brushing aside her hair and cradling her cheek as he gives her a smile. "I'm here now. Are you ready to do this?"

"Well, I don't have a choice now, do I?" April grumbles. She can hear her tone and sees Jackson bite his lip in amusement at her sarcasm. "Jackson, it's too early. She's a week early. I don't think-"

Sensing the panic in his wife, Jackson shushes her immediately, rubbing her back as he consoles her. "Hey, a week is fine. She's an Avery, she wants to get here soon, that's all." April chuckles at that, reaching out to squeeze his hand again. "You can do this and we'll have Clara."

"I'm gonna page your OB, April. You're doing great." Meredith gives her an encouraging smile and a thumbs up before she disappears down the hall.

Alex lingers in the doorway for a second before he says, "Yeah, it'll go great, Kepner, so don't go all emo on us, okay?" He gives them one of his genuine smiles before he follows Meredith down the hall.

"Can you call my parents, please, Jackson? And text my sisters? To tell them to pray for me." April turns to Jackson, holding his hands tightly as she conveys how important it is to her that her family keeps her in their prayers during this crucial time.

"April," Jackson begins, hesitating at her request because he doesn't want to leave her side. "I'm sure I can call them after-"

"No, please, Jackson, it has to be right now." The nurse comes into the room to monitor April's vitals and she turns to Jackson again, nodding for him to leave the room and make the call. "Please? It'll just take a minute. My mom's flight isn't until Tuesday, they have to know the baby's coming early. I want them to pray for me so I'll be safe."

"I... Okay," he agrees, seeing how this is her wish, and he is all about granting his wife's wishes. "Just... don't have the baby yet, okay?" He hurries out of the room while the nurse looks April over, and is back within a few minutes, telling her that he spoke to her mom and texted all her sisters to give them an update.

"It hurts." April hiccups as the tears slide down her cheeks, thankful that it's just her and Jackson alone again after the nurse leaves. "It really, really hurts."

"I'm sure it does," Jackson says softly, kissing her hand as he urges her to meet his eyes. His nerves are on edge too, but he's doing his best to remain strong since there's nothing he can do but try and keep her calm and let her squeeze his hand as tight as she can. "But you're a soldier. You're _my_ soldier."

April smiles even as she cries, and leans into him, resting her head against his arm which he wraps around her to pull her closer. "Are you ready?"

"For what?"

"For the whole damn thing."

He smiles at her once more, dropping a kiss in her hair just as he sees their OB/GYN enter the room.

"I'm ready, babe."

* * *

_the end ~ _


End file.
